1. Technical Field
This invention relates to the field of computer audio interfaces, and more particularly to a notification management system for an audio-only interface having a plurality of notifications.
2. Description of the Related Art
A computer audio interface allows a user to interact with a computer application through a speaker and a microphone. The interface plays audio messages to a user through the speakers, and receives audio input from a user, such as responses to audio queries generated by the interface, through the microphone. The messages are associated with notifications to the interface from an external source which alerts the interface to the existence of the message, and can be a predefined script spawned by a particular event, or an original message, such as an e-mail, input by a third person. The notification can be the message itself, a control signal, and the like which indicates the existence of a message for playing to the user.
Audio-only interfaces are useful in situations in which other types of interfaces, such as a keyboard, mouse, video display, and the like, are impractical or inconvenient. Typical uses for an audio-only interface include interfacing with computer applications that monitor and control equipment, such as automobiles, airplanes, or building systems. The interface can provide messages concerning the equipment while the user is performing tasks associated with the equipment.
Many computer applications can generate several audio notifications simultaneously. For example, in a car, a user can run low on gas, have to make a turn, have an incoming call, and have an incoming weather alert all at the same time. All of these events can spawn a notification to the vehicle driver by the car computer. However, the messages corresponding to the notifications cannot be played all at once.
A typical audio-only interface has a simple queuing system which plays each message in the order the message notification is received, or immediately upon receipt of the notification resulting in playing messages simultaneously. This type of interface can result in important messages being delayed beyond the point of usefulness, for example, a message that the car is low on gas is useless after the engine has stopped, or the message is unintelligible with the same result.
The invention provides a method of playing messages to a user by selecting one of a plurality of notifications. The method includes the step of setting a priority level for each notification arriving into a queue. The notification is inserted into a position in the queue based upon the priority level of the notification, such that the notifications proximal the queue top have a higher priority than audio notifications proximal the queue bottom. The notification at the queue top is selected for processing. Once a notification is selected, the message corresponding to the selected notification is played to the user.
In another aspect of the invention, the system notifies the user of the selected notification prior to playing the message corresponding to the selected notification. The system can then play the notification message, or query the user whether to play the notification message.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the system assigns a new priority to a notification in the queue in response to an input. The system then relocates the notification to a new position in the queue corresponding to the new priority level that has been assigned to the notification.
According to yet another aspect, the invention may be embodied in a computer system having an audio-only interface adapted for selecting one of a plurality of notifications for playing to a user. In that case, the system includes application programming for setting a priority level of a notification arriving into a queue; inserting the notification into a position in the queue based upon the priority level of the notification, wherein notifications at a queue top have a higher priority than notifications at a queue bottom; selecting a notification at the queue top; and playing a message corresponding to the selected notification to the user.
Finally, the invention may take the form of a machine readable storage having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform a set of steps including: setting a priority level of a notification arriving into a queue; inserting the notification into a position in the queue based upon the priority level of the notification, wherein notifications at a queue top have a higher priority than notifications at a queue bottom; selecting a notification at the queue top; and playing a message corresponding to the selected notification to the user.
These and still other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the description which follows. In the detailed description below, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments do not represent the full scope of the invention. Rather the invention may be employed in other embodiments. Reference should therefore be made to the claims herein for interpreting the breadth of the invention.